Our visiting policy is flexible because we believe family and friends are integral to the physical and emotional well-being of our patients. For specific visiting questions, please check with the patient care unit's clinical staff. Any visitors coming to the hospital between 6:00 pm – 6:00 am must enter through the Emergency Care Center and stop at the Greeter’s Desk to be screened and receive a yellow visitor identification sticker.

My Health Home patient portal is a free and secure online home for your inpatient hospital health information. The portal allows you to view your medical records on any internet-enabled device and become a more active partner in your healthcare.

Steward Health Care is the largest private, tax-paying physician-led health care network in the United States. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Steward operates 37 hospitals in the United States and the country of Malta that regularly receive top awards for quality and safety. The company employs approximately 42,000 health care professionals. The Steward network includes multiple urgent care centers and skilled nursing facilities, substantial behavioral health services, over 7,900 beds under management, and approximately 2.2 million full risk covered lives through the company's managed care and health insurance services.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Antibody Testing

Were you recently ill and wondering if you had COVID-19? Have you been in self-quarantine at home and wondering if it’s now safe to return to work or resume other activities?

Nasal swab testing for COVID-19 can only tell patients if they currently are infected with the virus. However, an antibody test, also known as a serologic test, can reveal if you have been infected with the virus in the past.

Steward Medical Group is now offering antibody (serology) testing at many of our practices. Your Primary Care Physician and Nurse Practitioner teams can address your concerns and questions about COVID-19 and antibody testing through an in-person office visit, or a telehealth virtual visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are antibodies?

A: Antibodies are proteins that your immune system makes after you have had an infection. Antibodies help increases your body’s ability to fight off a disease if you are exposed to it again. There are different antibodies depending on the time after infection and they can be measured to determine recent or prior exposure of infection.

Q: What is the difference between an antibody (serologic) test and a COVID-19 test swab test?

A: The nasal swab test, also called a nasopharyngeal test, is the test that is administered to identify whether a person has COVID-19 present in their nasal passages at the time the test sample is taken. It will not determine whether a person has had a prior infection of COVID-19.

The antibody, or serological test, is conducted by taking a blood sample from a person who has had COVID-19 and has developed antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19, known as SARS-CoV-2. The detection of antibodies identifies a past infection of the virus. The test will not show if a person is currently infected.

Q: What does a positive antibody test result indicate?

A: A positive result can reveal if a person was previously infected with COVID-19. It also shows that the person has developed antibodies to the virus. A positive test can also be a false positive, and even if a person tests positive for antibodies, it does not mean the person is immune to COVID-19. It can also be used to determine how widespread COVID has been in a particular population as well as identify potential donors of convalescent plasma to help patients who are seriously ill from the virus.

Q: What does a negative antibody test result indicate?

A: If a person tests negative for COVID-19 antibodies, it means there is no evidence that the person has had a past COVID-19 infection. If a person’s symptoms continue or have cleared up less than two weeks before the blood draw was taken, it may be too early to detect the presence antibodies.

Q: Who should be tested?

A: The COVID-19 antibody test used by Steward Medical Group is available to people of all ages who are not showing any symptoms related to COVID-19. People who are still recovering from COVID-19, or who remain sick, cannot be tested using the serologic test. Your Steward Medical Group provider can see you with a telehealth virtual visit or face-to-face visit to determine if you are an appropriate candidate for antibody testing.

Q: How much does the testing cost?

A: Many health insurance plans are covering the cost of COVID-19 antibody testing. We recommend you check with your health plan if your doctor determines you are an appropriate candidate for serologic antibody testing.

Q: Who gets the results of my test?

Your personal health information is protected by law under the HIPAA Act. Steward Medical Group follows all guidelines and direction provided by the US government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in regard to HIPAA. If you have a patient portal account, your provider will communicate with you securely and confidentially about your test results. You should also expect your provider’s office to call you directly with the results of your COVID-19 antibody (serologic) test to inform you of the results and respond to any questions you may have.

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